INTERNATIONAL. Autogrill Group, through its subsidiary HMSHost, has extended its strategic agreement with Starbucks Corporation to open and operate Starbucks Coffee outlets at airports and motorways.
Under the terms of the agreement, Autogrill has renewed its exclusive contract for the management of Starbucks points of sale at US airports and highways for a further ten years, until 2020.
Over the next ten years the agreement is expected to open 120 new Starbucks locations in North America operated under licence by Autogrill, in addition to more than 360 that Autogrill currently operates worldwide and which in 2010 generated total revenues of over US$450 million (over €340 million).
The two companies will look at new development opportunities in the other countries where Autogrill operates.
Autogrill and Starbucks will also work together to develop new formats for travel channels and use certain points of sale as “learning laboratories” in which to test new concepts and services for travellers.
“The Starbucks-Autogrill relationship is based on a shared spirit of creativity and innovation which year after year has allowed us to create value for our customers and landlords, through the quality of the products and the power of a world leading brand,” said Autogrill CEO Gianmario Tondato Da Ruos.
“Now that we have begun another ten years together in North America, we will be able to explore new mutually beneficial growth opportunities.”
“For nearly 20 years Starbucks and Autogrill have successfully brought the Starbucks Experience to millions of travellers who are looking for an exceptional cup of coffee,” said Starbucks Coffee Company US President Cliff Burrows, on behalf of Starbucks Corporation. “We are very excited to extend our relationship with Autogrill for another ten years.”
The original contract was signed by HMSHost in 1994, when Starbucks had only 116 stores, one of which, the first to be run on a licensing basis, had been opened in 1991 by HMSHost at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
In 1994 the company opened the first location in Canada, at Vancouver Airport, and in 1998 the first motorway point of sale, in Maryland. In 2003 this exclusive US airports and highways agreement was renewed for a further ten years and has now been extended, two years in advance, to 2020.
